Dance with Me
by sbfisher
Summary: Jenny grows up. A continuation of the Star Gazer storyline. Based on the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Cinderella".


Dance with Me

By SB Fisher

_This story is based on the Steven Curtis Chapman's song, Cinderella. The song belongs to him, but the story belongs to me._

_This is part of the Star Garzer story line. Enjoy._

March 1975

Four year old Jennifer DeSoto was sitting at her little table in the backyard playing quietly under the supervision of her father and Uncle Johnny. Music had been drifting in and out of the home all morning and Jennifer had found herself getting up and swaying in time to the music with a different doll each time.

John Gage sat on the deck and watched her each time while he kept an eye on his partner and her father, Roy DeSoto. The runs the night before had been bad – especially the one right before they had gotten off sift. That last run had involved a young child. The father had been running late for work and no one had noticed the four year old run out of the house to say one more goodbye to her father until it was too late.

Roy had insisted on riding in with the young girl. Minutes before the ambulance had pulled up to the hospital, she had slipped away and nothing that Roy, or the emergency room personnel could do, could bring her back.

Johnny had called Joanne before leaving the station to give her the heads up as to what was going on with her husband. Upon hearing about the run, Jo insisted Johnny join them for a home cooked breakfast. She knew her husband; when he was ready to talk he would need someone there who could walk him through his thoughts regarding what he could have done differently.

Pulling his camera out of its bag he placed the different lenses on the table and continued to watch Jenny in her play acting. A few minutes later, she was beside her daddy begging him to help her dance.

"Please, daddy. I have to practice my dancing. I have a ball to go to tonight with my prince and he would be very disappointed to see I hadn't practiced." Jenny pouted.

Roy started to protest once more that he just wasn't in the mood when Johnny spoke up. "Hey, princess, you have a ball to go to tonight?"

Her dark blond hair bobbed up and down. "Uh huh. Just like in 'Cinderella'. But I need to practice before I can go."

"Well, we just can't let you be the laughing stock of the ball, now can we." Johnny nudged his partner. "Hey, you don't happen to know who can help out our princess in distress?"

Roy sighed and looked down at his young daughter as if seeing her for the first time that morning. "I might be able to help." He pushed out of his chair and followed her out into the backyard. Taking her into his arms, they began to dance to music that only they could hear.

Johnny picked up his camera, made a few adjustments, and took several snapshots.

"I hope to get at least one of those."

Johnny turned to see Jo standing in the doorway. "Always, Jo." The two remained where they were watching the princess and her father dance under the morning sun.

* * *

April 1987

Squeals drifted down the stairs as Johnny tried to listen to the evening news. His adopted daughter, Jennifer, and her best friend Margie Johnson had sequestered themselves in Jennifer's room since they had gotten home from school. Every once in awhile, those squeals would drift down. Johnny had made numerous attempts to head up to see what was going on, but his wife of five years finally put a stop to it.

"They're teenagers, young girl teenagers to boot. Let them be," Emily wisely imparted on him. It didn't stop him from curiously wonder as to what his normally shy teenager daughter was going on about.

A short time later after dinner had been cleared from the dinner table, Jennifer sat down in the living room with Emily and Johnny. Their four year son, Joey, was quietly playing in the corner. "Emily, Johnny, I'm sure you've been wondering as to what was going on this afternoon."

"Who? Us?" Johnny asked. Emily absently swatted her husband's arm. Jenny gave him a long suffering look. Johnny was once again reminded of her mother, Joanne, and how she used to give him that same look. "Ok, yes, I've, I mean we've, been wondering. "

Jenny took a deep breath. "Ok, you know the junior-senior prom is coming up in few weeks. Well, I was asked today to go with Jimmy Anderson," she finished excitedly and in a rush.

"Oh, honey, that's fantastic!" Emily reached over and gave the young girl a hug. "Now, do you know what kind of dress you want to wear?"

"I kind of have some ideas, but I wanted to get your and Johnny's approval before we got it," Jenny replied looking toward Johnny.

Johnny sat still for a few moments before he found his voice. "Uhm, yeah, sure, just let me know."

With that, Emily and Jenny left the room to go look at some catalogs that Emily had stashed, knowing that the possibility of being invited to the prom had always been there.

Johnny continued to sit for a few minutes and then picked up Joey to go get him ready for bed.

A short time later, Johnny found himself sitting on the steps of his deck looking once more up to the stars. After all these years, he still came out there to clear his head and to talk to his friends once more.

He quickly added up the years in his head. He and Emily had married in June of 1982 and Joey had come along nearly a year later. Chris had graduated from high school two years ago and had left to go to school at UCLA. Even though he could still live at home, he choose to live at the dorm. He was studying pre-med, just like he had always planned. It also didn't hurt to already have a doctor in the family to talk his plans over with.

The spring before he and Emily had gotten married, Jenny and Chris had approached him with a request. They had been present when their father's, and then their mother's, will had been read. In both, they had made the stipulation that if Johnny was willing and if the kids wanted to, Johnny could adopt them without any recrimination. Apparently, that had often been a topic of discussion between them. They had informed Johnny that if he wanted to adopt them, they felt it would honor Roy and Joanne more so than not. So, just two weeks before the wedding, they had met with the judge and completed the process to be officially adopted by Johnny. They choose to keep their name as DeSoto, but would proudly introduce Johnny and Emily as their parents.

Johnny sighed and wondered at how quickly the years had gone. Hearing the door open behind him he waited for the other person to make their presence known. He looked up and saw Jenny move to sit beside him on the steps.

Jenny looked up at the stars with him. "I still come out here a lot, too. It helps me feel closer to them."

He didn't even have to ask who 'them' was. He did it for the same reason. Johnny nodded and glanced back up at the stars. "Yeah, me, too."

She wrapped her hand around his arm and leaned into his shoulder. "Johnny, I think you'll like Jimmy. He's a great guy, very sweet and considerate. If you want, I could invite him over for dinner Saturday so you and Emily can meet him. What do you think?"

"I think we need to double check with Emily."

"It was her suggestion," she retorted.

Johnny turned his head to meet eye to eye with her. "Ok, if you both are in agreement, we'll do that."

Jenny reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Johnny, would you do me one more favor?"

His forehead furrowed in question. "Sure, angel. What?"

She stood up and reached back to him. "I need to practice my dancing. Would you help a princess prepare to dance at the ball with her prince?"

With a chuckle, he stood up and took her hand. "I can't believe you still remember that story of you and your father."

"I don't ever want to forget. Just like I don't ever want to forget this moment with you. So, please, daddy, would you dance with me?" her serious eyes looking back at his.

"For my princess, anytime."

Johnny took her into his arms and began to dance with Jenny under the stars to only music they could hear. Unknown to them, Emily had picked up a camera and began to take pictures of the two of them. It was another moment in time to add to the collection on the mantle.

* * *

February 1992

Jennifer DeSoto held out her left hand to allow her mother to look at the ring on her hand as she continued to relate the proposal.

"Jimmy took me for a walk in the park and it was such a beautiful evening. The next thing I knew, we were on the foot bridge, Jimmy is kneeling down with that ring in his hand asking me to marry him."

John Gage sat back and listened to Jenny as she related her story. She was so excited … and Johnny tried his best to be happy for her. It looked like his little girl would soon be leaving him for good.

The rest of the day was centered around Jenny's plans for her wedding. They were setting the date for a mid-July wedding. She wanted school to be completely over and diploma in hand before jumping feet first into marriage, not to mention getting set up to work with old Doc Peterson, the local vet, before the grand event. Emily and Johnny both applauded her sound decisions.

Later that evening, Johnny headed out to the back deck. He was soon joined by Jenny as they sat on the deck chairs and watched the stars in silence.

"Johnny?"

"Yeah, angel?"

Jenny sat up and looked over her adopted father.

"Johnny, you've done so much for us over the years, me and Chris that is. You stepped into Daddy's shoes and raised us in a way I believe both Mom and Daddy would be proud. Would you do me the honor of walking me down the aisle?" Jenny asked him, her serious blue eyes implored him. "You may not have been my biological father, but you you've been my father in every other way for over ten years."

Johnny turned to look again at the stars. He sat quietly for a few moments, then turned back to his daughter. "I would be the one honored."

Jenny fairly leaped from her chair and sat on Johnny's lap, hugging him fiercely. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She leaned back, stood up, and extended her hand. "Of course, this means you will also have to dance with me at my wedding," she grinned.

"I think I can manage that. Do you think we need to practice before then?" he also grinned. He remembered all too well the young princess who needed to practice before her ball.

Jenny, too, remembered that princess. She held out her arms. "The wedding is still six months away, but I think we should practice."

Laughing, Johnny and Jenny spun away on the deck as the stars twinkled in the background.

* * *

July 1992

The wedding had been perfect and Jenny had made a lovely bride. As the wedding party shifted over to the reception hall and the wedding band, an area began to clear on the floor. Johnny escorted Jenny to the middle and began to dance with his little girl for the last time. As they started to pass Jimmy, Johnny stopped and handed her off to her husband, kissed her check then shook Jimmy's hand. He stepped back and let the newlyweds continue to dance to the song.

Johnny slowly made his way around the dance floor, watching her radiant face glowing with the love she had for her husband. He recognized that look. It was the same one his own wife had for him.

He stopped at the edge of the floor and continued to watch them as other couples began to join them. Emily slipped in beside her husband, clasping his hand tightly as he reciprocated. She leaned into his shoulder. "They make a wonderful couple. I knew it the day she brought him over that weekend before the prom."

Johnny sighed. "You were always the wise one of this partnership," he replied, leaning over to capture her lips in a kiss. He turned back to watch Jenny again, this time laughing with some of her friends with Jimmy looking on. "She's really gone and grown up on us, hasn't she?"

"Yeah, she has. Good news is, we'll still see them often, especially since they'll be living down the road from us and Jenny will soon be taking over the practice from Dr. Peterson." Emily reached up with her other hand and squeezed his arm. "You ok?"

"No, but I will be."

Emily smiled as she too turned to watch the couple. "Johnny, I don't know if I ever told you this, but thank you for letting me help raise her. Joey will probably be our only one, and Chris was practically grown by the time we married and got settled, so I want to thank you for allowing me this opportunity to have a daughter."

"I couldn't have done it without you," he whispered.

* * *

September 1998

A group of family and friends were gathered at the Gage home to celebrate Johnny's 30 years with the department. It was full blown cookout with all the trimmings including a band. Emily had definitely outdone herself this time.

Dr. Christopher DeSoto leaned against the railing of the deck and watched the activities going on around the home and back yard. His sister, Dr. Jennifer Anderson, was busy talking to other ranchers from the area regarding something, bouncing her one year old son on her hip, while her four year old daughter danced to the whatever the band was playing at that moment.

Chris watched Annie run across the yard to where her daddy was busy talking to Johnny and some of the other firefighters from the department. She reached up and began to tug on Jimmy's leg. He turned to her, "Hey, sweetie. What's up?"

"Daddy, this is my most favorite song. Could you dance with me?" she pleaded.

Jimmy nodded, but then said, "In a moment, let Daddy finish talking to Grandpa."

Johnny shook his head and pointedly tilted his head back toward his granddaughter. "Jimmy, we can finish in a minute. There's a princess who needs to practice her dancing and she picked you to do so. I wouldn't pass this up if I were you because all too soon the moment will be gone and so will she."

Jimmy looked at his father in law, nodded, then turned back to his little girl. "Ok, princess, your wish is my desire. Lead me on!"

Annie giggled and lead her father on out to the dance area. Jimmy took her in his arms and danced to the music of the band. Johnny reached behind him to the camera sitting on the deck table. Making a few adjustments, he took a few snapshots of father and daughter dancing under the afternoon sun.

"A few more moments in time for the mantle?"

Johnny glanced at Jennifer, who had at some point wandered over to him, then turned back out to where father and daughter were dancing. "Of course, have to keep the tradition going. After all, just like in Cinderella, all too soon the clock will strike midnight and then she'll be gone." He glanced back at this daughter. "I hope Jimmy learns the same lessons your father and I both learned – to seize the moment and hold on before that moment is gone."

"With you as an example, he will." Jenny shifted her baby on her hip, then leaned into her adopted father. "I was lucky enough to have not one, but two fathers, who were always willing to spend time with me." She leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, daddy," she whispered.

"Same back at you, angel."

The End

AN: This story was forming in my head long before I heard of the tragic death of Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter, Maria, who had just turned five just days before. This story was for her and all fathers out there.

This story is a creation from my own imagination. While the characters of Emergency! belong to Universal, this story belongs to me. Any errors regarding the characters, medical terminology, or the fire department, are of course mine as I am not an expert in either field. SBF.

_

* * *

_

Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman

_She spins and she sways to whatever song plays, _

_Without a care in the world_

_And I'm sitting here wearing _

_The weight of the world on my shoulders._

_  
It's been a long day and there's still work to do_

_She's pulling at me saying, "Dad I need you_

_There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited_

_And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please."_

_  
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms_

'_Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song_

'_Cause all too soon, the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone._

_  
She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed_

_She wants to know if I'd approve of the dress_

_She says, "Dad, the prom is still one week away_

_And I need to practice my dancing, so please, daddy, please."_

_  
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms_

'_Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song_

'_Cause all too soon, the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone._

_  
But she came home today with a ring on her hand_

_Just glowing and telling us all they had planned_

_She says, "Dad, the wedding still six months away_

_But I need to practice my dancing, so please, daddy, please."_

_  
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms_

'_Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song_

'_Cause all too soon, the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone._


End file.
